The border procedure: seeking asylum when you arrive at an airport or port
Did you arrive in the Netherlands by plane or ship? And do you not have a visa to enter the Netherlands? Then you apply for asylum through the border procedure. It is called this because you are not officially in the Netherlands yet. Read here how this asylum procedure works.
Step-by-step plan
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Source: IND
News
The 2nd interview with the IND in the asylum procedure at Schiphol Airport
Published at: 5/14/2024, 12:00 AM

You have the 2nd interview with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). This is an important interview for your asylum application. You prepare for this interview with your lawyer. In the 2nd interview you will explain in detail why you fled.

From the second interview, the asylum procedure at Schiphol takes another 6 days

You will now have a detailed interview with the

Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)
at Schiphol Airport. This 2nd interview is the most important interview for your asylum application. You will explain in detail why you have fled. From this 2nd interview it will take another 6 days until the IND decides whether you may stay in the Netherlands.

This is what you need to know to prepare for the 2nd interview

  • During the interview, an IND employee asks questions about the reasons why you fled.

  • The IND employee will continue to ask about your answers.

  • You can be interviewed by an IND employee of your own gender if you wish. The IND employee will ask you this during your 1st interview.

  • Be honest, and explain in detail and clearly about why you fled.

  • Explain why you personally need protection. The IND is aware of the general situation in your country. Therefore, it is important that you explain why you are in danger.

  • Sometimes it is difficult to talk about your flight. Explain this clearly to the IND if you find it difficult to talk about anything, or if there is something you do not remember.

  • Do you have scars, physical or psychological complaints related to your flight? Tell the IND about this. The IND may offer you a medical examination.

  • A

    VluchtelingenWerk Nederland (VWN)
    employee may be present at the interview if you wish. VWN supports you and, like the IND, makes a report of the interview. VWN may have written down different information than the IND. Sometimes this information is important. If your asylum application is rejected and you want to appeal, VWN's report can be used in the appeal.

  • The IND will compile a report of the interview. The day after the interview, discuss the IND report with your lawyer. Tell your lawyer if any information is missing or incorrect in the IND report.

There is an interpreter who speaks your language at the interview with the IND

The IND employee asks the questions in Dutch. The interpreter translates them for you. The interpreter also translates your answers into Dutch. The interpreter is independent, does not work for the IND and has no influence on the decision about your asylum application. As interpreters are very busy, you might get an interpreter who speaks a different dialect. Tell me immediately if the interpreter and you cannot understand each other properly. It is important that no misunderstandings arise because the interpreter and you do not understand each other well.

This is how the 6 days go from the 2nd interview

  • Day 1: You have the 2nd interview with the IND

  • Day 2. You discuss the 2nd interview with your lawyer Your lawyer will discuss the IND's report of the 2nd interview with you. An interpreter will also help translate everything you and the lawyer say at this meeting. If anything is missing in the report or not written down correctly, your lawyer will report this to the IND.

  • Day 3: The IND makes a 1st decision The IND assesses whether you meet the conditions for an asylum residence permit. There are 3 possibilities: approve, reject or need more time.

  • Day 4: Your lawyer responds to the IND's first decision If the IND plans to reject your asylum application, discuss this with your lawyer. Your lawyer can then respond in writing to the IND's first decision. In this letter, you explain why you disagree with this decision.

  • Day 5 and 6: IND's final decision The IND now makes a final assessment of whether you meet the conditions for an asylum residence permit. There are 3 possibilities: approve, reject or need more time.

If the IND needs more time, your asylum application will be further processed in

the extended asylum procedure (VA)
. This procedure takes place in an (open) reception location. You move to a non-closed reception centre. The decision on your asylum application follows later.

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